Uniting for a Cause: United Way Mumbai and Coca-Cola India Organise Beach Clean-up Drives in Mumbai

Mumbai, 23 June, 2018: United Way Mumbai, along with Coca-Cola India, has launched Clean Shores Mumbai, a coastal clean-up and marine conservation drive at Dadar Chowpatty, Dadar Beach and Mahim Chowpatty beaches in Mumbai. The event witnessed participation from environmentally-conscious volunteers from all walks of life including corporate employees, partners, local citizens and students. Local groups such as Beach Please, Jay Foundation and Mahim Beach Clean-up have also been actively working at each of these sites to promote cleanliness. The drive was organised in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai’s G/North Ward.

Jayanti Shukla, Chief Executive Officer, United Way Mumbai said, “The enormous problem of marine debris not only affects Mumbai but coastal cities across the globe. We are playing our part by facilitating solutions to address marine littering problems at Mumbai beaches through our tried and tested Collective Community Impact model. No one organisation or individual can do enough – collaborative, systematic and sincere efforts will yield the desired results of keeping our marine environment clean and preserve marine life.”

Ishteyaque Amjad, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia added, “The Coca-Cola company has pledged to collect and recycle the equivalent of 100 percent of its packaging by 2030. We believe that this goal can be achieved through partnerships and participation. By adopting a collaborative approach between citizens, governments, businesses and civil society, we can eliminate marine litter. We are optimistic that our partnership with United Way Mumbai will reap long-term benefits in educating communities and encouraging sustainable waste management.”

Volunteers engaged in collection and segregation of dry and wet waste on the beaches, interacted with and sensitised beachgoers on the importance of marine conservation. The volunteers also distributed cloth bags to beachgoers and appealed to them to avoid using one-time use plastic bags.

Clean Shores Mumbai is a community impact initiative to enhance overall cleanliness of the city beaches and contribute towards reduction of marine pollution through sustained interventions enabled by multi-stakeholder partnerships. By supporting this programme, United Way Mumbai and Coca-Cola India are showcasing their long-term commitment towards waste management by setting up infrastructure for cleanliness, raising consumer awareness, and supporting adoption of efficient waste management practices.

Last month, Coca-Cola India and United Way Mumbai had joined the citizen beach clean-up movement at Versova beach led by marine conservationist, Afroz Shah, and announced the symbolic adoption of four high footfall beaches in Mumbai. The interventions will include:

Regular cleaning of the garbage on the beaches and deep sea

Sprucing up the aesthetics of the beaches so locals and tourists are encouraged to maintain and support the cleanliness of the beaches

Adopting responsible waste management practices such as segregation and recycling of recyclable waste collected on the beach